JP3853936B2 - Power integrated memory card and electronic still camera system using the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drive power source for an electronic still camera, and more particularly to a detachable power source integrated memory card having a power source required for the camera on the recording medium side.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional electronic still camera uses a detachable primary battery or secondary battery as a driving power source. The drive capacity of this power source is determined by the type of battery depending on the structure of the camera, and is fixed by the battery used. Therefore, when the camera is in use, there is a problem that the remaining capacity of the battery cannot correspond to the remaining capacity of the recording medium. That is, there is an inconvenience that even though there is a remaining capacity that can be recorded on the recording medium, the remaining capacity of the camera battery is lost and recording becomes impossible.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art described above, in order to ensure the recording capacity of the recording medium, it is necessary to mount a battery having a sufficient capacity in advance or to reserve a spare battery in preparation for insufficient capacity. For this reason, the reduction in size and weight of the camera body is hindered, and there is a problem that a spare battery must be secured.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to make the camera body small and light by integrating a power source necessary for driving an electronic still camera with a removable memory card that is a recording medium, and to make troublesome such as securing a spare battery. It is an object of the present invention to provide a detachable power source integrated memory card that can eliminate the above problem.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electronic still camera comprising: an imaging unit that forms a subject image and converts it into an electrical signal; and a signal processing unit that converts the electrical signal into an image signal. An electronic still camera system comprising a replaceable power supply for supplying power to a still camera, and having a memory card for recording capacity data of the power supply and the image signal, wherein the electronic still camera is The electronic still camera further comprising control means for reading the capacity data of the power supply unit, calculating a remaining capacity of the power supply unit based on the capacity data, and managing the remaining capacity of the power supply unit When the memory card is inserted into the electronic still camera, the power of the electronic still camera is turned on. When the memory card inserted into the electronic still camera is removed, the power The power remaining capacity of an electronic still camera system, characterized in that stored in the memory card.
[0007]
Here, the driving power supply supplies power for recording to all the recording capacities of the memory card, and can also drive an electronic still camera having the imaging function and signal processing function required for creating image data to be recorded. have.
In addition, the drive power source is a secondary battery with low self-discharge that can be repeatedly charged, and is configured to be replaceable with respect to the memory card so that the memory card is not damaged by the life of the secondary battery. To.
[0008]
According to the above configuration, it is not necessary to store a heavy and large primary or secondary battery in the camera body, so that the camera body can be reduced in size and weight and troublesome such as securing a spare battery can be eliminated.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of an electronic still camera according to the present invention, and FIG.
[0010]
In FIG. 1, an electronic still camera body 10 is configured as follows. A subject image (not shown) is formed on the image pickup device 2 by the optical lens 1, and the image pickup signal converted into an electric signal by the image pickup device 2 is converted into an image signal by the signal processing block 3, and is attached to the detachable power source built-in memory card 8. Stored. The image pickup device 2 is controlled by the CPU 4 and sends out an image pickup signal. The CPU 4 manages the operation key unit 6 and controls the power supply control unit 5.
[0011]
In addition, the removable built-in power supply memory card 8 has a memory portion 8a and a power supply portion 8b integrally formed. When the removable built-in power supply memory card 8 is inserted into the connector 7, the camera power is turned on. The CPU 4 communicates with the memory card 8 via the signal processing block 3 to read the recording capacity data of the card and the capacity data of the built-in power supply.
[0012]
On the other hand, the power supply control unit 5 forms a system power supply by turning on the camera power supply, continuously measures the power value supplied from the memory card 8, and sends the data to the CPU 4. The CPU 4 manages the remaining capacity of the power capacity by subtracting the measurement data from the power control unit 5 in real time from the initial value of the power capacity data read from the card.
[0013]
Further, when the camera power supply is “off” or the card is attached / detached, the CPU 4 immediately writes the remaining capacity data of the power supply to the card and ends the series of operations.
[0014]
2A is a detachable power source built-in memory card in which a power supply unit is arranged on the side of the memory card, and FIG. 2B is a detachable power source in which a power source unit is arranged above or below the memory card. These are built-in memory cards, all of which are battery replaceable.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by incorporating the drive power supply of the camera body in the removable memory card, the camera body can be made small and light in structure, and there is no trouble of securing a spare battery. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electronic still camera according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a typical structural view of a detachable power supply built-in memory card according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Imaging lens 2 CCD (with variable electronic shutter function)
3 Signal processing block 4 CPU
5 Power Control Unit 6 Operation Key Unit 7 Card Connector 8 Detachable Memory Card 10 Electronic Still Camera Body

Claims (1)

An electronic still camera comprising imaging means for forming a subject image and converting it into an electrical signal; and signal processing means for converting the electrical signal into an image signal;
An electronic still camera system comprising a replaceable power supply for supplying power to the electronic still camera, and having a memory card for recording capacity data of the power supply and the image signal,
The electronic still camera further includes a control unit that reads the capacity data of the power supply unit, calculates a remaining capacity of the power supply of the power supply unit based on the capacity data, and manages the remaining capacity of the power supply of the power supply unit. ,
When the memory card is inserted into the electronic still camera, the electronic still camera is turned on,
An electronic still camera system, wherein when the memory card inserted into the electronic still camera is removed, the remaining capacity of the power source of the power supply unit is stored in the memory card.

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